Railway car coupler knuckle having improved bearing surface

Abstract

Knuckle coupler castings and methods for casting the knuckle coupler castings, where the knuckle coupler castings having enhanced bearing surfaces which may include a vertically flat surface.

1. A method of casting a coupler knuckle casting for a railway car coupler, the coupler knuckle casting having an enhanced bearing surface with a substantially flat portion in one direction, the method comprising:
 providing a cope mold portion and a drag mold portion, the cope and drag mold portions having internal walls defining at least in part the perimeter boundaries of a mold cavity; 
 positioning one or more cores in the mold cavity of either the cope or drag mold portion, at least one of the cores having one or more surfaces substantially flat in one direction forming a portion of the perimeter boundaries of the mold cavity for forming at least a portion of the enhanced bearing surface; 
 closing the cope and drag mold portions with the one or more cores therebetween; and 
 at least partially filling the cavity with a molten alloy, the molten alloy solidifying after filling to form the coupler knuckle casting. 
 
     
     
       2. A method of casting a coupler knuckle casting in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the cope mold portion and the drag mold portion includes the step of providing the portions of the walls of the cope and drag mold portions at tapered angles, the tapered angles of the portions of the walls being tapered at an angle relative to the one or more surfaces substantially flat in one direction of the core, the angles being inclined inwardly relative to the cavity and away from the one or more surfaces substantially flat in one direction of the core. 
     
     
       3. A method of casting a coupler knuckle casting in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the ratio between one of the portions of the walls of the cope and drag mold portions having tapered angles and the one or more surfaces substantially flat in one direction of the core is between about 3:10 and 7:10. 
     
     
       4. A method of casting a coupler knuckle casting in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the ratio between one of the portions of the walls of the cope and drag mold portions having tapered angles and the one or more surfaces substantially flat in one direction of the core is about 1:2. 
     
     
       5. A method of casting a coupler knuckle casting in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the enhanced bearing surface is positioned on at least a portion of the pulling face portion of the coupler knuckle casting. 
     
     
       6. A method of casting a coupler knuckle casting in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the enhanced bearing surface is positioned on at least a portion of a nose section of the coupler knuckle casting. 
     
     
       7. A method of casting a coupler knuckle casting in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the enhanced bearing surface is positioned on at least a portion of a throat of the coupler knuckle casting. 
     
     
       8. A method of casting a coupler knuckle casting in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the enhanced bearing surface is positioned on at least a portion of the pulling face portion and the throat of the coupler knuckle casting, the portion of the enhanced bearing surface extending from the enhanced bearing surface to a tangent surface between two radii of the throat. 
     
     
       9. A method of casting a coupler knuckle casting in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the enhanced bearing surface is positioned on at least a portion of the inner side region of the locking face of the coupler knuckle casting. 
     
     
       10. A method of casting a coupler knuckle casting in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein the enhanced bearing surface is positioned on at least a portion of the pulling face portion of the coupler knuckle casting. 
     
     
       11. A method of casting a coupler knuckle casting in accordance with  claim 10 , including the step of using the core to form the enhanced bearing surfaces on the pulling face portion and inner side region of the locking face of the coupler knuckle casting.